Julián Aguilar Reporter

Julián Aguilar
reports on politics and border affairs from the Texas-Mexico border. His focuses include immigration reform and enforcement, voter ID, international trade, border security, and the drug trade. His political coverage has included local, legislative and congressional races in Texas, as well as local and national elections in Mexico. Before joining the Tribune, he was a freelance writer for the Fort Worth Weekly; a government and crime reporter for the Laredo Morning Times; and a political writer for the Rio Grande Guardian. A native of El Paso, he has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Texas and a master's degree in journalism from the Frank W. Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism at the University of North Texas.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Tuesday that drug cartels are ramping up efforts as the Texas National Guard is preparing to leave the Rio Grande Valley next month. He's hoping to extend the Guard's presence in the region.

After years of political wrangling, Mexico is poised to open up its state-run energy monopoly to private investment, pumping excitement into Texas. But as crude oil prices fall, will investors walk through that door?

Texas doesn't require magistrate judges to tell immigrants how their pleas on misdemeanor charges might affect their immigration status. Legislation that would change that failed two years ago, but the sponsors are back for another try.

Texas lawmakers may be leading the charge to derail President Obama’s executive action on immigration. But the White House wants it known: Not everyone in the Lone Star State wants to scrap the policy.

Just before leaving office, Rick Perry ordered state agencies to start using E-Verify, the federal employment verification system, to make sure job applicants can legally work. But some lawmakers say that mandate isn't enough.

After pounding immigration issues hard during their campaigns, Republicans including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are on the hook to kill in-state tuition for undocumented students. Its survival may come down to the business lobby, and wily House Democrats.

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, is pushing new border security legislation that would make it easier for Border Patrol agents to operate on protected lands, and fund continued National Guard presence.

Mexican governors attended the gubernatorial inaugurations of Ann Richards, George W. Bush and Rick Perry. But in a break with tradition, they won't be in Austin when Gov.-elect Greg Abbott takes his oath of office.

UPDATED: A judge heard arguments Thursday on a request to halt a White House immigration policy that could affect hundreds of thousands of Texans living in the country illegally. The judge did not indicate when he would make a ruling.

Instead of trusting human smugglers or risking clandestine border crossings, an increasing number of people trying to enter the U.S. illegally are taking a more brazen approach. They try to slip through legal entry points using fake papers, or documents that belong to someone else.

Gov. Rick Perry has been outspoken in his frustration with the immigration system, Julián Aguilar writes. Perry says the system puts state lawmakers on the spot in deciding how to help Texans brought to the country illegally as children through no fault of their own.

Federal immigration agents apprehended nearly 97,000 more people trying to enter the U.S. illegally through Texas’ southern border during the 2014 fiscal year than they did in 2013, the Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday.

Just a few years ago, Texas was shipping millions of dollars in food and goods to Cuba. The White House's decision to ease sanctions could reignite the state's once-flourishing economic ties with the island nation.